Fathers coalition wants Bay State to consider
marriage more sacred

For The Fatherhood Coalition, it isn’t a matter of which is right, heterosexual
or homosexual marriage. It’s about waging war on courts they claim have been
treating fathers like second-class citizens for decades.

“We’re up against like powers that be in the courts,” said Mike Franco, state
chairman of The Fatherhood Coalition.

“It’s judicial tyranny and activism where judges are using their discretion to
put forth a political agenda.”

Although The Fatherhood Coalition has no official stance on the gay marriage
debate, the nonprofit group was one of dozens at an antigay marriage rally on
Boston Common Sunday, the first of many events planned this week as the state
Legislature prepares to take up a Constitutional amendment tomorrow that would
outlaw gay marriage.

Franco said that even though many of its members are burnt out on the idea of
marriage and having to fight for equal custody of their children that they say
they pay more than half the support for, members of the Coalition want the
institution of marriage to be considered more sacred by the state.

“The Commonwealth makes a mockery of marriage the way the law is processed and
administered,” Franco said. “It seems kind of strange that so many of us would
support traditional marriage after being treated so poorly. We just don’t think
marriage is held to a high enough esteem. We’re fighting the same enemy -- the
courts.”